Selectivity Over Potency: How the Anabolic-Androgenic Ratio Defines Steroid Behavior at the Receptor Level
The anabolic-androgenic ratio is one of the most cited — and most frequently misunderstood — concepts in steroid pharmacology. Far from a simple numerical ranking, this ratio encodes critical information about how a steroid compound interacts with specific receptor populations at the molecular level. This technical analysis unpacks the structural chemistry and receptor biology that determine whether a steroid compound primarily builds tissue, drives androgen-dependent signaling, or modulates inf